Testimony begins

Testimony has begun in Walhalla in the case of the State of South Carolina versus Melissa Dawn Ramey. The 37-year old woman is charged with grand larceny and burglary first degree in crimes that occurred in March 2011 at Long Creek. In his opening statement to the jury, Deputy Solicitor David Wagner said his side plans to present as many as six witnesses including the man, he said, who gave Ramey a ride to the Highlands Ranch where the defendant is accused of taking a safe, a shotgun, and a laptop computer. And that man, Richard Nicholson, testified first. Delane Rosemond, defendant’s attorney, asked the jury to remember that the presumption of innocence rests with his client and that the prosecution has a burden to prove she committed the crimes.